Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Valley Walk from Punakha to Wangdi Phodrang, Bhutan

Typically tourists don’t walk from Punakha to Wangdi Phodrang, two river side valley towns that are known for its history, red rice and hydroelectric projects in Western Bhutan, about a couple of years from Thimphu. It is about 30 kms by road and a share taxi only costs INR/BTN 100 for this 30 minute journey, but I was piqued by a statement that some locals made, which is most of the school kids walk from Punakha to Wangdi during school holidays and festivals.

Bhutanese man met on the trek from Punakha to Wangdi, Bhutan
This caught my interest and after digging a bit deep into this, I found out that there is a much shorter abandoned road and also a walking trail by the side of the river that leads from Punakha to Wangdi Phodrang.

A Bhutanese mother and her child
This route takes you from Punakha Dzong to the second longest suspension bridge in Bhutan and then to the Punakha countryside that is covered with golden yellow rice fields. On the other side of the trail is the azure waters of the Mochu and Pochu rivers that join at the Punakha Dzong.

Punakha's long suspension bridge - the second longest such bridge in Bhutan
The waters of this river is so clean that you can see a lot of migratory birds on this trail and those include the Ruddy Shelducks, Cormorants, Stilts and more. Also, on the terrestrial side, there are many interesting and colourful Himalayan birds. If you are a birder, then this trail should be on your must do list in Bhutan.

Heap of harvested rice at Punakha, Bhutan
Even if you are not a birder, the landscape is full of mountains, a fast flowing river and lots of golden yellow fields with traditional Bhutanese houses in the middle. This makes for some great sights and thus presents great photography opportunities.

Leaf less tree at Punakha, BhutanIn terms of distance, I think the trail is about 12 kms with a little bit of ups and downs, but mostly flat. If you take it easy, stop for a lot of photos and breaks, then you should be able to walk between these two rich valleys within 3 hours and if you are in a hurry, you can do it in 90 minutes. If time is not of essence and you wish to experience the Bhutanese countryside with its greenery, birds and colourful people, then this hike is very much recommended.

11 comments:

  1. CharukesiDecember 29, 2013 at 1:08 PM

    Love your Bhutan series! I was there in October and thoroughly enjoyed my time in the country. And here is wishing you more adventures in the coming year :)

    (http://traveholic.wordpress.com)

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  2. CharukesiDecember 29, 2013 at 1:09 PM

    Nice photographs! My own favourite was Chime Lakhang in Punakha - something magical about that temple.

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  3. Shrinidhi HandeDecember 29, 2013 at 4:32 PM

    Good to read your stories Sankar.. Happy new year

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  4. Sankara Subramanian CDecember 30, 2013 at 1:55 AM

    Happy 2014 to you too Shrinidhi! Have been following your sky diving and Thailand ride posts closely over multiple sources.

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  5. Sankara Subramanian CDecember 30, 2013 at 1:57 AM

    Thank you Charukesi! I didn't get a chance to explore Chime, but the whole area is really pretty.

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  6. Sankara Subramanian CDecember 30, 2013 at 1:58 AM

    Thank you Charukesi. The country is very beautiful. I want to explore more of it soon.

    Happy 2014 to you too and here's to many more travels. Cheers!

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  7. Sankara Subramanian CDecember 30, 2013 at 1:59 AM

    I haven't as yet.

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  8. puruJanuary 2, 2014 at 2:57 PM

    can you pls let me know exact route for Valley Walk from Punakha to Wangdi Phodrang, Bhutan. Planning to Bhutan this feb..

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  9. Sankara Subramanian CJanuary 2, 2014 at 3:57 PM

    It is a straight forward route Puru. from Punakha, cross the suspension bridge and keep the river to your right and just walk downstream. You will reach wangdi some 14 kms later.

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  10. puruJanuary 9, 2014 at 2:51 PM

    Thanks Sankara
    We are planning to drive from bangalore to Bhutan.Any tips for us in Bhutan, we are planning to make it 6 days in Bhutan.

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  11. Sankara Subramanian CJanuary 10, 2014 at 7:28 PM

    No Tips as such. It is a beautiful country. Go ahead and have a good time. If you feel like, you can read some of the Bhutan tips I have written based on my personal experiences.

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